Movable bleachers



Oct. 29, 1935. F. c. FOWLER MOVABLE BLEACHERS Filed Dec. 15, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1935- F. c. FOWLER MOVABLE BLEACHERS Filed Dec. 15, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q flaw 'EwZer,

Oct. 29, 1935. F. c. FOWLER MOVABLE BLEACHERS Filed Dec. 15, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L I m mam(mmum swam/tom C.1 ,0', wler,

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Patented Oct. 29, 1935 PATENT OFFIC MOVABLE BLEACHERS Francis C. Fowler, Springfield, Mass,

assignor to p l A. G. Spalding & Bros, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 15, 1934, Serial No. 757,707

22 Claims.

The invention concerns bleachers adapted to be folded out of the way when not in use, and readily moved into position of use, the operation in either instance being easy to perform.

' The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View oi a section of the bleachers in extended position ready for use.

Fig. 1a is a view of a detail.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a portion of the bleachers in a half way position between its extended and folded position.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the bleachers in folded position.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views of details.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l of a modified form of the apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the modification shown in Fig. 6 but in stored position.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views of details of the modification of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of one of the stringers.

Figs. 11 and 12 are views oi a modification.

Referring to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, I indicates the stringers which are the main parts of the supporting structure and which when the bleachers are in extended position for use, extend in inclined position from the upper ends of standards, one of which is shown at 2, downwardly to near the floor where rollers 3 are mounted in brackets 4 attached to the lower ends of the stringers. When in this unfolded position for use the upper ends of the stringers are supported by the upper ends of the standards. The seats 5 are mounted on brackets 6 of metal which are welded to the upper edges of the stringers. The foot rests I are supported by metallic brackets or hangers 8 which are welded at their upper ends to the lower edges of the stringers. The stringers are preferably of channel iron.

The standards 2 are supported on the floor, being held by base plates Ill. The upper ends of the standards are held to the wall beam II by plates I2 secured to said beam. To the lower portions of the standards are secured brackets I3 in which are pivotally mounted at' Ma the arms I4 which at their opposite ends are pivoted at I 5a to the brackets I5 secured to the under sides of the stringers about midway of the length thereof. A pair of springs I6 are attached at their lower ends to a bracket I 6a: secured to the arm I4.

springs are directly connected. The springs lie on opposite sides of the arm I4 and at their upper ends, are spaced from each further apart center to center than are the lower ends spaced apart. I They are attached at their upper ends to supple- 5 mental brackets I8 secured to the plates I 2. g

This arrangement oi springs as shown inFig.'1 establishes a diverging relation between them. This arrangement tends to hold the arm I4 in its predetermined relation to the bleacher structure 10 and assures the proper guidance of the rollers 3 along the, prescribed track line indicated'at m both in lowering the bleachers and in raising them out of the way. y

This controlling or centralizing efiect increases 15 as the frame is lowered, due to the increased reaction of the springs under the increased load which the frame imposes thereon.

Thus the springs compensate automatically for the greater liability of the bleachers to'depart 2'3 from the prescribed path as they are lowered.

On the other hand, as the bleachers are raised the change in the angular relation of the two companion springs to each other renders them'more efiective in maintaining the controlling or equal- 25 izing effect despite the decrease in the spring power as the springs relax, it being understood, however, that the springs are so tensioned that they will continue to exert control upon the bleachers when in completely raised position.

As the structure rises to its folded position the angular relation of the springs to each other becomes greater and the centralizing effect of the pull of the springs upon the arm I4 increases proportionately to the spring power springs counterbalance the weight of the bleachers to a suilicient degree to render the operation of the bleachers easy either in extending them or in storing them.

The centralizing action of the springs upon the 46" V tiltable arm I4 by preventing the arm from swaying from side to side as the bleachers are raised or lowered permits one section 01' the bleachers to be placed close to the adjacent section or sec- I tions without interference one with another in 45 raising or lowering. I

The upper ends of the springs are threaded through eye bolts I9, one of which is shown in Fig. 1a. The threaded end of this bolt passes through a swivel piece 20 resting in the arms 2| 50 of the bracket, a nut 22 engaging the screw threaded end of the eye bolt completes the connection. This bolt rests upon the swivel piece 20. The tension of the spring can be varied by the nut to adjust the balancing eiiort of the spring applied. These 35* according to the weight of the stringer with which it is associated. The bleachers when in raised position are substantially vertical as shown in Fig. 3.

The standards 2 may be made of angle iron, and the same is true of the brackets at the lower end thereof, which are used to fasten the standards to the floor, and to provide the support for the pivot of the arm M. It will be understood that there is one of the arms M with a pair of counterbalancing or centering springs at each of the stringers l and each stringer when in lowered position rests at its upper end upon the standard 2 individual thereto. For this purpose each stringer at its upper end is provided with a forging la welded thereto so as to rest upon the upper end of the standard, so as to provide a substantial bearing surface between these parts.

A modification of the above structure is shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 in which the springs H50. are attached at their lower ends to the pins Ha of bracket l6b attached to the arm I4. These springs converge forwardly or upwardly towards each other, and are attached to brackets 23 Fig. 8 which are fastened by the stringer at its lower edge by means of a member 24 fixed to said stringer. These springs are adjusted as to their tension by eye bolts Na and nuts. These balance the weight of the bleacher section and by reason of the angular relation to each other they control the arm [4 in its movement, and prevent it from having sidewise deflection, and thus cause the movement of the supporting wheels along the prescribed track, and thiscontrolling influence or centralizing effect is exerted in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, in either raising or lowering.

It will be noticed that the springs as shown in Fig. 6 are attached to the stringers at a point therein in advance of the location of the pivot connection between the arm 14 and the stringer bracket l5, and the tension of this spring, as shown in Fig. 6 tends to pull the lower end of the frame towards the wall and thus it exerts its counterbalancing efiort upon the bleacher structure, and renders its operation easy.

The bleachers can be easily raised or lowered by one person by reason of the counterbalancing effect of the springs.

Any suitable locking means may be employed, if desired, to prevent unauthorized unfolding of the apparatus. As an instance of this a chain look as shown at 25 may be used around the folding arm l4 and between it and the wall bracket or bearing.

The springs are so arranged as to more than overcome the falling weight of the bleachers when folded against the wall, thus forming a safety provision that prevents them from ever 'accidently falling from their raised, or stored positions.

To lower the bleachers the operator must pull the section from the wall for about three feet at about which point the springs will just balance the weight of the bleachers so that the slightest pressure will bring them down. This state of balance continues until the bleachers are about three-quarters lowered, at which point the weight of the bleachers very slightly overcomes the springs and the section settles to the rests. There is thus no tendency for them to raise from lowered position without the help of an operator.

This overbalancing effect of the springs is due to the fact that when the apparatus is folded into substantially vertical position, the springs still exert a pull upon the arms M as shown in Fig. 3, tending to pull said arms towards the wall and thus resist any tendency for the structure to 5 unfold, because an unfolding movement requires that the arm it move outwardly and downwardly away from the wall, which is a movement directly opposed by the spring as shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 7 the spring when the structure is folded 10 exerts a pulling effect upon the lower part 01' the stringer below the level of its pivotal connection with the pivoted beam or arm l4, and this pull tends to move it towards the wall and thus resists an unfolding movement.

In order for the arm M to swing outwardly and downardly about its lower pivoted end from the position of the parts shown in Fig. '7 would require that the lower end of the stringer move outwardly from the wall along its track and any ac- 20 cidental movement will be resisted by the tension of the spring connecting the lower portion of the stringer with the lower end of the arm l4 nearits lower pivot, and thus the structure will be held in folded position until the operator applies force 25 to cause the lower end of the stringer to move outwardly along its track on the floor.

In both forms the springs will still be under tension when the apparatus is in folded position drawing the stringers towards the wall, thus hold- 3 ing the parts in folded position against outward movement, until force is definitely exerted to cause the outward movement of the structure on its castor wheels.

At suitable intervals cross tie pieces 5a of angle 5 iron form may be used which together with the seat and foot boards provide a strong and rigid bleacher structure.

It will be noticed that the points at which the lower rear ends of the arms M are pivoted to 40 the standards, or virtually pivoted to the floor, are substantially beneath the rear upper ends of the stringers when the bleachers are unfolded and that the said arms are pivotally connected with the stringers at about midway of their 46 length.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 9 may be used when no suitable wall is available such as in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the springs "5b 50 may be attached to standard base plate 24, which is attached to the floor, and from the upper surface of which the standard rises.

The springs converge towards each other from the points where they are attached to the eyes 5 25 of this base plate to the points where they are connected with the bleacher frame, and the same effect as pointed out above in controlling the bleacher frame is present in this modification of the invention.

This modification permits the apparatus to be set up without regard to whether a suitable wall is available or not. The arms l4 in this form are pivoted near the base of the standard 2 as in the forms previously described.

The companion springs in this form like in the forms before described are located on opposite sides of a vertical plane extending along the axis of the arm I4.

I claim:

1. Folding bleachers comprising stringers carrying seats, means for supporting said bleachers in inclined position for use and permitting the front portion to move along the fioor, arms each pivotaliy connected at their forward ends to one 7-5 of said stringers and pivotally supported at their lower rear ends to fixed supporting means, and means for counterbalancing the weight of the bleachers.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the said arms are pivoted to the stringers at a point substantially midway of the length of the stringers, from which point said arms, when the apparatus is unfolded for use, diverge from the upwardly inclined stringers downwardly to their rear pivotal points of support.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which standards support the upper ends of the stringers when the bleachers are in position for use, said stringers rising away from said standards when the bleachers are raised out of use, substantially as described.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which standards support the upper ends of the stringers when the bleachers are in position for use, said stringers rising away from said standards when the bleachers are raised out of use, said arms having their rear pivotal ends mounted on said standards.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the stringers have projections extending therefrom about midway of their lengths to which the said arms are pivoted at their forward ends.

6. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 in which the counterbalancing means comprise springs attached to the said arms near their rear ends.

'7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the counterbalancing means comprise a pair of springs, one member of said pair of springs being located to one side of said arm, and the other spring being located at the other side of said arm, said springs tending to confine the bleachers movement in folding or unfolding to a prescribed track.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the counterbalance means comprises two members extending in non-parallel relation to each other to make the bleachers take a prescribed course of movement without sidewise deflection.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the counterbalance means comprises two springs, one at each side of the pivoted arm, extending up therefrom in diverging relation and connected at their upper ends to suitable fixed supporting means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the counterbalancing means comprise spring means extending from their point of attachment to the pivoted arms forward to the movable bleacher structure at a point forward of the pivotal connection between said arms and bleacher frame.

11. Movable bleachers comprising a framework having seats arranged in stepped relation, said framework incliningdownwardly and forwardly to find a support on the floor, arms pivotally connected to the framework at points intermediate the front and back portions of said framework, said arms, when the apparatus is in working position, extending downwardly and rear- Wardly from the inclined framework and pivotally mounted at their rear ends, and counterbalance means, substantially as described.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the said counterbalance means exerts force along 5 lines at an inclination to each other and to the vertical plane in which the pivotal arms operate in rising or falling.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the framework has downwardly projecting brackw ets to which the said arms are pivoted.

14. In combination, standards, a. framework having seats, said framework at its rear portion resting upon said standards and at its front portion resting upon the floor, arms pivoted at their 15 rear lower ends to the standards and at their free ends to the framework, said framework when raised for storage having its rear end elevated in respect to the standards, and its front end positioned adjacent said standards, substantially 20 as described.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which counterbalancing means are attached to the pivoted arms.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which 25 counterbalance means are mounted on the standards and are attached to the pivoted arms.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which counterbalance means are attached to. the arms and are connected to the forward portion of the 30 movable bleacher framework;

18. In combination, an inclined framework carrying seats and having its front portion resting upon and movable along the fioor, fixed rests for the rear or upper portion of the framework 35 when in working inclined position, arms mounted at their rear ends on pivots mounted in fixed relation to the fioor, said arms being pivoted at their free ends to the framework at a point intermediate of the front and rear portions of the framework, substantially as described.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which the pivoted arms have counterbalancing means attached thereto, substantially as described.

20. In combination with the bleacher frame adapted to be supported for use in an inclined position, arms pivoted to said frame intermediate the front and rear portions thereof, said arms when the structure is in position for use inclining downwardly and rearwardly from their points of pivotal connection with the frame, to their pivotal points of support substantially beneath the rear upper end of the bleacher frame, and springs connected to the bleacher frame for controlling the same, substantially as described.

21. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which counterbalancing means exert control upon said frame work to confine its movement to a prescribed path.

22. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which springs are attached to a fixed support, one at each side of the arm, said springs converging forwardly and connected at their front ends to the bleacher frame.

FRANCIS C. FOWLER. a 

